Moonshot Rural Arizona Pitch Competition makes first stop in Sahuarita

SAHUARITA, Ariz. (KGUN) — Fourteen rural entrepreneurs pitched their big ideas at Sahuarita Town Hall on Thursday, August 22, as part of the 6th Annual Moonshot Rural Arizona Pitch Competition, a statewide effort to help small businesses secure funding and resources to grow.

The event marked the first time the traveling competition stopped in Sahuarita. Moonshot Arizona hosts the contest in 20 rural cities and counties each year, offering prize money, networking opportunities and mentorship for entrepreneurs looking to take their businesses to the next level.

Moonshot Arizona, a nonprofit business incubator, launched its rural pitch program in 2018 to address a common challenge among small-town businesses: limited access to capital and resources. While metro areas often have robust startup ecosystems, rural entrepreneurs can struggle with distance, networking gaps and lack of funding options.

The pitch competition was sparked by Grow in Sahuarita, a program sheparded by the town’s economic development office that provides coaching and technical assistance to small businesses operating in Sahuarita.

“Access to capital is a huge step in growing a business,” said Alex Magallanes, Economic Development Specialist for the Town of Sahuarita. “But many don’t know in rural areas how to prepare to request a loan, how to prepare your financials and so on. Programs like Grow in Sahuarita and Moonshot are focused on helping them grow their business and eventually access capital.”

Among the eight finalists was Joshua Hays, founder of ABC Guidance. Hays’ journey began with his own struggles with dyslexia in school and finding alternative ways of learning that fit his unique intellectual style.

“I realized I was creating methods for myself so I could succeed,” Hays said. “If I could create something that will focus on the student and the way they learn, and the goals they want to achieve, they would be successful.”

Since 2010, the company has helped students customize education around their learning styles, building both confidence and academic success. Starting in California, Mays moved to Tucson in 2020 as the pandemic moved learning largely online. He says this shift has enabled the business to be more nimble and accessible to these students.

This year’s first-place winner was Ashley Heida, founder of Analytical Mineset, a data-driven company that helps mining operations cut costs and improve efficiency. Heida took home $1,000 and a one-year membership to the Sahuarita/Green Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Kara Nelson of Sahuarita won the second-place prize of $500 and a chamber membership as well. Nelson runs Sahuarita Speech Spot, one of the only private speech therapists in the area. She started the business two years ago after learning about the lack of speech therapists and hearing of parents having to drive large distances for help.

“When I worked for the school district and parents would ask me where they could find a speech therapist, I would tell them they have to go to Tucson. And even there, there’s a year-long wait,” Nelson said of why she started her business. “Early intervention is super important, so waiting a year when you’re three years old and not talking, it can be detrimental.”

Judges for the event included Moonshot AZ Scott and Kiersten Hathcock, the latter who appeared on season two of Shark Tank. The panel also featured Robert Theobald, Vice President for Small Business at the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) and Irasema Banuelos, Senior Small Business Lending Manager at the Community Investment Corporation (CIC).

For a full list of winners and details about the Moonshot Rural Pitch Competition, visit Moonshot AZ’s website.